Pell-eligibility is calculated by the U.S. Department of Education after a student submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is based on family contribution, status as a full-time student, and the student’s academic plans. The household income of Pell-eligible students varies. In recent years, 99% of Pell-eligible students came from households with income of $80,000 or less per year.

For more information regarding Pell-eligibility, visit the FAFSA4caster by clicking here.

Scholarship recipients will receive funding for a maximum of five years of study, with the expectation that s/he will complete a bachelor’s degree during that period.

However, should the need arise, a student may seek approval to defer the next period of study, for up to one year. No scholarship funds would be disbursed to the student for that period. Failure to enroll full-time after the one-year deferment period will result in forfeiture of any further funding from The Gates Scholarship.

We encourage students on deferment to work with The Gates Scholarship Scholar Advocates, and to utilize on-campus academic support services, to remain engaged and to help facilitate re-enrollment and graduation.

A nationwide search will identify the top high school seniors who qualify for this prestigious scholarship. These students will then be invited to apply. Students must create a MyTGS Profile in order to apply.

Online applications will open in July 2018. The second scholarship cohort will be selected in April 2019, with awards disbursed in the fall.

The MyTGS Profile is your portal for everything related to The Gates Scholarship. This includes the application, and – if selected as a Scholar – all associated support services, such as mentoring; academic support; career and internship guidance, advice, and opportunities; financial literacy; and more, for the life of the scholarship.

Yes. In order to apply, a student must first create a MyTGS profile, which will serve as his/her personal portal to all The Gates Scholarship resources, for the life of the scholarship. Prior to the application open date, students can complete their MyTGS profile, but will not have access to The Gates Scholarship application.

The Gates Scholarship is a highly selective, full scholarship for exceptional, Pell-eligible, minority, high school seniors. Having launched in 2017, the scholarship is being awarded to 300 student leaders each year, over the life of the grant, with the intent of helping outstanding minority students who come from low-income backgrounds realize their maximum potential.

Eligible students must be members of one or more of the following ethnic minorities: African American, American Indian/Alaska Native*, Asian and Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American.

*For American Indian/Alaska Native, proof of tribal enrollment will be required.

Having launched in 2017, the scholarship is being awarded to 300 student leaders each year, over the life of the grant, with the intent of helping outstanding minority students who come from low-income backgrounds realize their maximum potential. Each awarded student will be funded for a maximum of five (5) years to complete a bachelor's degree. Online applications will open every summer, through 2026.

Funding will be for a maximum of five (5) years of study, with the expectation that s/he will complete a bachelor’s degree during that period.

However, should the need arise, a student may seek approval to defer the next period of study, for up to one year. No scholarship funds would be disbursed to the student for that period. Failure to enroll full-time after the one-year deferment period will result in forfeiture of any further funding from The Gates Scholarship.

We encourage students on deferment to work with The Gates Scholarship Scholar Advocates, and to utilize on-campus academic support services, to remain engaged and to help facilitate re-enrollment and graduation.

The Gates Scholarship is an all-expense paid scholarship, meaning that it is designed to cover the full “cost of attendance”—i.e., all of a Scholar’s expenses that the college/university, or additional scholarships, do not pay, and over and above what the students’ parents can afford to pay. That includes tuition, fees, room, board, books, and transportation, and may include other personal costs.

Since each school may define cost of attendance slightly differently, we recommend the student contact his/her college’s financial aid office with specific questions about exactly which expenses are included by that institution.

Yes. Funding for off-campus housing will depend on what the institution discloses in the cost of attendance. We recommend that you contact your financial aid counselor to discuss educational expenses (including housing) and your full cost of attending that institution.

A portion of each scholarship award may be considered taxable by the US Internal Revenue Service. Scholarship recipients are responsible for ascertaining tax liability for the scholarship, and for reporting the taxable portions of their scholarship as income. For details, please visit the IRS website and see publication 970, Chapter 1 (using the tab “Forms and Pubs” on the home page), and Topic 421 by entering “scholarships” in the search tool at the top of the home page.

Yes. In addition to funding, The Gates Scholarship will provide a number of online support services that will help Scholars excel in their degree programs, graduate, and make a successful transition to their chosen careers. These technology-enabled services include mentoring; academic support; career and internship guidance, advice, and opportunities; financial literacy; and others.

There is a networking component, as well. Gates Scholars will be connected to a network of accomplished peers they can tap into for support and advice.